Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-30
OUR GIRLS ABROAD.
AN APOLOGY FOR THE ENGLISH
MAlDEN'S TOTAL ECLIPSE.

Ladies' Abroad Finding Themselves out
shone by the Girls of America-A Hint
to English Mauds and Bcatrices-Eman-
cipation from Cant.
The Lady Mauds and Lady Beatrices are
sore Mt finding themselves outshone in the
highest circles by American chts who, before
coming abroad, were just ordinary misses in
small provincial towns in the United States.
1t is n hard case to be thrust into the shade
by these fair invaders. But soreness about it
will only spoil good looks. Why not rather
learn the art of war from the invading bellies,
who were not reared in hothouses, but in
public free schools. In a great degree they
have conquered because they are in the habit
of thinking themselves as good as no matter
whom, and of not being shanfaced i'll the
presence of mortals of uppermost rank.
/ don't think il occurs to the Mauds and
Beatrices that very few uppermost person.
ages, in no matter what country, have, or
can have, much conversation. Having had
allowances from their cradles upward there
is no strenuous effort in their lives. And SO
that intensity of thought, feeling and will
which makes man man, and sublimates
woman, is wanting in them Etiquette
jects of conversation Having to talk de
haut en- bas, but there is no quick interchange
of ideas. As it was 800 years ago, SO tits
now. Their lives being fiat they must fall
back on buifoonery-a reason why Schnei-
der's dressing room at Les Varieties was
"Le Passage DIES Princes" License of speech
is sure to be granted to any one whose talk
tickes or is droll. There are few rosebuds
in etiquette ridden courts who can so con-
verse But the United States free schools
produce them in thousands Originality in
America is not confined to the monumental
sex. The conditions of life are so different
there from what they are in England, and
there is such emancipation from cant in
most of the forms in which it tyrannizes us
that the beauty from Ohio, Illinois or Della
ware is startingly novel, and whatever
piquancy there is in her talk comes home
with double force
BEAUTIES FROM AMERICA.
There are such heaps of Miss Jennie Cham
berlains in the United States that hardly any
one notices their points. Americans are
astounded Mt the effect they produce on Eng
lish noblemen when they come out ut the
Riviera or in London. AS to the etiquette
invented by lords chamberlain those flowers
from over the Atlantic are in happy ignor-
ance. SO they start topics in colloquies with
| royal personages instead of waiting for them
to be started, and when they find they please
| they 90 ahead. Sir or ''madame" or
| your royal highness," used as commas, are
| in the conversation of ordinary persons
| Then the young and fair Americans neglect
no advantage which is derived from atten-
| ton to personal appearance They know
now to dress, and they grudge no money that
they can give to the best dentists Being in
the habit of dancing from infancy. their
gestures arc easy and not angular, and they
always talk distinctly, and, if sometime with
a slight twang, in an audible voice.
Our girls often humble or run on in a CHR
ripping jabber that really is not speech. They
too, often deal in set phrases which get sool
| exhausted. | think when a British girl i.
nice she's the incest of any; and many more
than there are could be charming if they
could only learn how to speak, and to NOV,
about in an easy, graceful way. The Ameri
can girl has neat features, n delicate skin ant
n fine nervous system. But in the rest of tn,
organization nature has been wanting il
generosity. The western woman or girl is
finer human being than the eastern. In tn,
southern states womanhood is nearest to per
lection. Women there are reposeful-no
precisely amusing, but intelligent, sweet anC
interesting. in London Truth